It is a common practice all over the world to give alms to beggars, paupers or those people who are in need that we see on the streets. To some, it is a way of showing our mercy and compassion to less fortunate people. But what would you actually do if you knew that a certain beggar earns more money than you? Would you have doubts before giving alms to another beggar?
A beggar in Kuwait was found to have earned KD 500,000 and deposited it in a bank, that's a whooping $1.65 million. The beggar turned out to be richer than some locals as he have a huge amount of money deposited in his bank account. The man was identified as a non-Kuwaiti who was known to be begging for money in front of a mosque. Local police were on a crackdown about their anti-beggars campaign when they chanced upon a man begging for money near a mosque in the capital Kuwaiti City. The beggar solicited money from unsuspecting donors and reportedly, he have been telling his unsuspecting donors that he had no food and a place to stay.
“Servicemen were patrolling the area when they saw a man standing near a mosque and begging for money, telling worshippers that he badly needed cash and that he had no home, He was immediately arrested as he was breaking the law and was taken to Al Ahmadi police station where an investigation revealed that he had a bank account in a local bank worth more than KD500,000,”- Al Rai
The "rich beggar" has been put in jail for violating the law. He will also soon face charges with the financial crime directorate, on top of it, he is also facing deportation after serving the sentence. In case you don't know, begging is illegal by law in many Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries like Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. However, beggars still continues to multiply in numbers especially during the holy month of Ramadan. It is a smart tactic as it is the time wherein many people are being encouraged to donate money to the poor and the needy. That season also prompts the authorities to launch a crackdown against the said illegal practice.
Early this year, the Kuwaiti government reported that they have already deported 22 beggars who illegally stayed in the country, However, it still took many years before they were caught and deported.